Access to Headington: comments on the effects of the scheme, emailed to Oxfordshire County Council on 11 November 2019 by Peter West, Chair of the Headington & Marston Community Forum and of St Anne’s Road, Gathorne Road, Margaret Road and Rock Edge Residents’ Association, can be seen here
The Post Office in Costcutters in Old Marston Road re-opened on 30 October
Oxford Mail article, 29 October 2019
The Post Office in Costcutters in Old Marston Road re-opened on 30 October
Oxford Mail article, 29 October 2019
Information on Oxford's population from Oxford City Council Key Facts Profile 2018:
https://www.oxford.gov.uk/downloads/file/5021/oxford_profile_2018
"Students as % of adult population: 24%, Rank (of 55 cities) 1, Average % of those 55 cities: 7%"
New student accommodation in Oxford - last update 29 Oct 2019
https://www.oxford.gov.uk/downloads/file/5021/oxford_profile_2018
"Students as % of adult population: 24%, Rank (of 55 cities) 1, Average % of those 55 cities: 7%"
New student accommodation in Oxford - last update 29 Oct 2019
Additional student accommodation for New College, Oxford (Savile Road) Construction underway. The development features a tower block, shown in this artist's impression, as seen from Mansfield Road.
Oxford Civic Society approves of the tower as 'A departure from a slavish consideration of the “Carfax height limit” and the ten view cones'. and Historic England is of a similar opinion. However, Oxford Preservation Trust cannot see 'adequate public benefits to outweigh the harm that would result from this proposal'.
The Victorian Group of Oxford Architectural History Society commented: 'The architects seem to have overdosed on Expressionism and this random and frantic style would look crazy in Oxford. The building is impractical, with its kooky plan, restless windows, and rooms of wildly varying shapes and sizes. We are told that the ridiculous tower will resemble ‘an inhabited ruin’, but it would dominate the whole area in a manner totally inappropriate for a mere college annexe'.
See further extracts from report presented at West Area Planning Committee, 10 April 2018.
Oxford Civic Society approves of the tower as 'A departure from a slavish consideration of the “Carfax height limit” and the ten view cones'. and Historic England is of a similar opinion. However, Oxford Preservation Trust cannot see 'adequate public benefits to outweigh the harm that would result from this proposal'.
The Victorian Group of Oxford Architectural History Society commented: 'The architects seem to have overdosed on Expressionism and this random and frantic style would look crazy in Oxford. The building is impractical, with its kooky plan, restless windows, and rooms of wildly varying shapes and sizes. We are told that the ridiculous tower will resemble ‘an inhabited ruin’, but it would dominate the whole area in a manner totally inappropriate for a mere college annexe'.
See further extracts from report presented at West Area Planning Committee, 10 April 2018.
- Five-storey student accommodation planned for site of Cowley Conservative Club 19/02620/FUL Between Towns Road Oxford Oxfordshire OX4 3LX
The disused building, which was acquired in January 2019 by Oxford developer Cantay Estates, would be demolished to allow construction of 220 units almost adjacent to Between Towns Court (see next bullet point below). This is the third attempt in 10 years to redevelop the site, this time with two shop units on the ground floor but no social club. Previous proposals for the site were for accommodation for Oxford Brookes University students, but the intended users of the current development are not yet known.
On its website Cantay Estates explains that residential accommodation is not being considered as an option for the site, "as current requirements for 50% affordable housing on site including a high proportion of social rented units would make any scheme unviable". See Oxford Mail article 13 August 2019. - Between Towns Court under construction, 27 March 2019. Further photos 08 06 2019. Planning application 16/01752/FUL submitted to Oxford City Council by Watkin Jones Group in July 2016. Permission granted in August 2017, following three separate public consultations, for 144 study rooms for Fresh Student Living, plus one commercial unit and on-site management suite: https://freshstudentliving.co.uk/property/between-towns-court/
Illustrations ('3d images') of the completed development (expected September 2019) can be found at the top of the list of Documents relating to the application.
- University College Oxford has drawn up plans for student accommodation, a children's nursery, a gym, academic study spaces and meeting rooms In the North Oxford Conservation Area (the North Oxford Development Project). The College held an initial, all-day, public consultation on 11 July 2019 and intends to submit a planning application to Oxford City Council in the fourth quarter of 2019, following a further, shorter, public event in September There has been opposition from local residents: see Oxford Times, 25 July 2019.
- Frontier Estates development: 1 - 7 Jack Straw's Lane and 302, 304 and 312 Marston Road, Planning Application 19/00779/FUL Validated 27 March 2019, Statutory Expiry Date Wed, 31 Jul 2019 - extended to 31 August 2019 - scroll down this page for details.
- Oxford Brookes University planning application 18/02587/FUL, December 2018Demolition of eight accommodation blocks in Clive Booth Student Village, John Garne Way, OX3 0FP, and erection of 1,077 student bedrooms; planning consent pending. Further information here PLANNING CONSENT REFUSED on 21 June 2019
- Jesus College is carrying out a major redevelopment of its Northgate House property in Cornmarket and Market Street in line with the target in its Strategic Plan 'to grow postgraduate student numbers and related accommodation' .
- Development of former Cowley Barracks off James Wolfe Road (zoom in to see the road, off Hollow Way) to provide an 885-room hall of residence for Oxford Brookes University students next to the university's Paul Kent Hall. Planning application 17/02140/FUL submitted August 2017, permission granted January 2018. A model of the site is shown in a BBC News article, 7 December 2017, which reports that it was 'understood' that Unite Students (see also Beech House development, London Road) had offered to pay £46,500 towards on-street parking patrols. The East Area Planning Committee report of 6 December 2017 states: 'Use of student accommodation outside term time by cultural and academic visitors and by conference and summer school delegates'. Also Oxford Mail articles, 8 December and 30 August 2017.
- Oxpens area: construction is underway by Winvic, on behalf of specialist accommodation provider Student Castle Ltd, of a 515-bedroom development next to Oxford railway station, comprising "one bed studios and ‘twodios’", scheduled to be completed in summer 2020. "The multiple buildings within the three principal blocks will range from five to six storeys." Oxford Mail article 10 Jan 2019 states: "This forms the first phase of the Oxpens scheme, with further residential and commercial development planned separately by Oxford City Council and Nuffield College...Buildings in the three main blocks will range from five to six storeys and will also house a gym, games area, lounge, private meeting rooms, roof terraces and a store for 290 bikes".
- Balliol College, Master's Field Project - under construction: 200 study bedrooms, 140 of which will be in addition to the existing ones 'allowing Balliol to house more of its graduates and to offer accommodation to all its undergraduates for the duration of their time in Oxford'.
- Westway Place, Botley, planned opening summer 2020, includes '261 academic-related residential units'. Application P19/V0416/FUL; "Variation of condition 2 - approved plans to application ref P17/V3298/FUL for internal and external changes to block E" submitted to Vale of White Horse District Council in February 2019, Target Decision Date 16 May 2019.
Planning Application 19/00779/FUL
Validated 27 March 2019, Statutory Expiry Date Sat, 31 Aug 2019 (previously 31 Jul 2019)
Submitted by Frontier Estates for site at 1 - 7 Jack Straw's Lane and 302, 304 and 312 Marston Road, Oxford. The delay in this application being brought to the East Area Planning Committee is understood to be due to legal considerations regarding the date on which the current lease terminates.
Official deadline for comments was Thursday, 02 May 2019. Comments submitted can be seen by clicking on the 'Documents' tab on the City Council website page - link given above.
Validated 27 March 2019, Statutory Expiry Date Sat, 31 Aug 2019 (previously 31 Jul 2019)
Submitted by Frontier Estates for site at 1 - 7 Jack Straw's Lane and 302, 304 and 312 Marston Road, Oxford. The delay in this application being brought to the East Area Planning Committee is understood to be due to legal considerations regarding the date on which the current lease terminates.
Official deadline for comments was Thursday, 02 May 2019. Comments submitted can be seen by clicking on the 'Documents' tab on the City Council website page - link given above.
Street view shown in the planning application - block beside church now 1-storey
In response to local opinion, an amendment was made to the plans shown at the public exhibition. The office block next to the church will now be one-storey high, with a flat roof, instead of two storeys in order to prevent light being blocked from the east window of the church. There are several references in the planning application to the convenience of the accommodation for students of both Oxford University and Oxford Brookes University, although at the public exhibition and consultation event on 28 February 2019 representatives of Frontier Estates were adamant that it would be reserved strictly for post-graduate students of one single Oxford University college.
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Illustration from the Frontier Estates brochure showing the two-storey office block beside
St Michael and All Angels Church on Jack Straw's Lane and the vehicular entrance. Brochure: Page 1 Page 2 Site plans Note: the lettering (A to E) of the blocks on the 'Block Plan' in the brochure, which was also used, enlarged, for the display boards at the public exhibition, does not match the lettering on the 'Drawing Key' shown on drawings attached to the planning application. |
A Public Exhibition and Consultation Event, organised by Carter Jonas on behalf of Frontier Estates, was held on Thursday, 28 February 2019, at Marston United Reformed Church, Marston Road. The redevelopment proposals comprise demolition of the houses listed above and the provision of a mixed-use scheme:
--- 161 units of post-graduate student accommodation for a single Oxford University college.
UPDATE 18 March 2019: contrary to information supplied by representatives of Frontier Estates at the exhibition, no single Oxford University college has made any commitment as regards this development. However, three Oxford University colleges have expressed interest in it and the accommodation could be taken up by more than one college.
--- five private apartments, 2-bed and 1-bed, together with some of the student accommodation, occupying the 1st and 2nd floors of Block A (see diagram in 'Proposed Plans' in the brochure)
--- 200 m2 of office space.
--- 161 units of post-graduate student accommodation for a single Oxford University college.
UPDATE 18 March 2019: contrary to information supplied by representatives of Frontier Estates at the exhibition, no single Oxford University college has made any commitment as regards this development. However, three Oxford University colleges have expressed interest in it and the accommodation could be taken up by more than one college.
--- five private apartments, 2-bed and 1-bed, together with some of the student accommodation, occupying the 1st and 2nd floors of Block A (see diagram in 'Proposed Plans' in the brochure)
--- 200 m2 of office space.
One office space would occupy the ground floor of the three-storey building at the corner of Lynn Close and Marston Road (Block A in diagram referred to above); the other two floors of Block A would be a mix of private apartments and student accommodation. The other office space would occupy a two-storey building on Jack Straw's Lane, next to St Michael and All Angels Church (Block E). The other student units would be in two-storey buildings, except for the row that runs adjacent to Lynn Close (Block B), which would be two-storeys plus development in the attic space (described as 'two-and-a-half-storeys' by the architects). Note: the lettering (A to E) of the blocks on the 'Block Plan' in the brochure, which was also used, enlarged, for the display boards at the public exhibition, does not match the lettering on the 'Drawing Key' shown on drawings attached to the planning application.
The only vehicular access would be from Jack Straw's Lane (between Blocks E and D) and this would usually be restricted to emergency vehicles and refuse/recycling collection trucks (sufficient space has been allocated for these vehicles to turn on the site, thus avoiding reversing into the roadway). However, vehicular access will be allowed for students to bring/remove their belongings at the beginning/end of term. In response to concerns raised about the dangers of this traffic coming out onto a road that is narrow and has a lot of parked cars, Frontier Estates said that students would be allocated individual slots for their arrival to avoid drivers arriving and finding no parking space available. Only a few on-site parking spaces would be provided. If refuse/recycling collection trucks caused difficulties, a private refuse collection service might have to be used.
Members of the design team and representatives from Frontier Estates Limited were on hand to answer questions and explain the proposals and were very helpful. A pdf of the brochure for the proposed development (which shows the display boards used at the exhibition) has been kindly supplied by Steven Roberts of Carter Jonas, and is available here: Page 1 Page 2
A plan showing the site of the proposed redevelopment and a Google aerial view can be seen here
The only vehicular access would be from Jack Straw's Lane (between Blocks E and D) and this would usually be restricted to emergency vehicles and refuse/recycling collection trucks (sufficient space has been allocated for these vehicles to turn on the site, thus avoiding reversing into the roadway). However, vehicular access will be allowed for students to bring/remove their belongings at the beginning/end of term. In response to concerns raised about the dangers of this traffic coming out onto a road that is narrow and has a lot of parked cars, Frontier Estates said that students would be allocated individual slots for their arrival to avoid drivers arriving and finding no parking space available. Only a few on-site parking spaces would be provided. If refuse/recycling collection trucks caused difficulties, a private refuse collection service might have to be used.
Members of the design team and representatives from Frontier Estates Limited were on hand to answer questions and explain the proposals and were very helpful. A pdf of the brochure for the proposed development (which shows the display boards used at the exhibition) has been kindly supplied by Steven Roberts of Carter Jonas, and is available here: Page 1 Page 2
A plan showing the site of the proposed redevelopment and a Google aerial view can be seen here
For real time bus information go to http://www.oxontime.com/
Note that some bus stop signs along Marston Road wrongly indicate this to be part of the Brookes U1 bus route. In fact, it's the U5 service that runs along Marston Road.
July 2019: the bus arrivals information panel at the bus stop on Marston Road, bottom of Jack Straw's Lane, has been working intermittently for some time (as have other such panels in Oxford, eg St Aldates). The contact email address for sending notification that the panel is not working is contact@oxontime.com
Note that some bus stop signs along Marston Road wrongly indicate this to be part of the Brookes U1 bus route. In fact, it's the U5 service that runs along Marston Road.
July 2019: the bus arrivals information panel at the bus stop on Marston Road, bottom of Jack Straw's Lane, has been working intermittently for some time (as have other such panels in Oxford, eg St Aldates). The contact email address for sending notification that the panel is not working is contact@oxontime.com
Draft Oxford Local Plan 2036 - approved for public consultation
A report submitted by Patsy Dell, Oxford City Council's Head of Planning, Sustainable Development and Regulatory Services, on the Oxford Local Plan 2036 Proposed Submission Document was presented to a Full Council meeting in Oxford Town Hall on Wednesday, 17 Oct 2018. The Council approved the document for public consultation. The formal 6-week public consultation on the Local Plan Proposed Submission Document ran from 1 November to 13 December 2018.
Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme
See also Oxfordshire County Council website
The formal planning application submitted on 28 March 2018 for construction of Oxford's flood alleviation channel includes a warning of traffic disruption, probably for more than a year. The main access routes for construction vehicles will be the A34 via the A420 Botley Road/West Way, the South Hinksey Interchange (A34), Old Abingdon Road and Abingdon Road. The planning application for the scheme is currently being considered by Oxfordshire County Council. After the final planning decision has been made, the Environment Agency will then submit the full business case for the scheme to Government. Construction is expected to take 3 to 4 years.
See Oxford Times article, 26 May 2018. Related articles: BBC News, 8 February 2018
A report submitted by Patsy Dell, Oxford City Council's Head of Planning, Sustainable Development and Regulatory Services, on the Oxford Local Plan 2036 Proposed Submission Document was presented to a Full Council meeting in Oxford Town Hall on Wednesday, 17 Oct 2018. The Council approved the document for public consultation. The formal 6-week public consultation on the Local Plan Proposed Submission Document ran from 1 November to 13 December 2018.
Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme
See also Oxfordshire County Council website
The formal planning application submitted on 28 March 2018 for construction of Oxford's flood alleviation channel includes a warning of traffic disruption, probably for more than a year. The main access routes for construction vehicles will be the A34 via the A420 Botley Road/West Way, the South Hinksey Interchange (A34), Old Abingdon Road and Abingdon Road. The planning application for the scheme is currently being considered by Oxfordshire County Council. After the final planning decision has been made, the Environment Agency will then submit the full business case for the scheme to Government. Construction is expected to take 3 to 4 years.
See Oxford Times article, 26 May 2018. Related articles: BBC News, 8 February 2018
Phone app makes it easy to report noise problems
The app allows residents to record annoying noise on their smartphone or tablet and then send the recording directly to the City Council for investigation.
Details on Oxford City Council website
Week beginning 20 Feb 2017
The same notice arrived through letterboxes in the form of a cardboard sleeve with a pull-out card inside and a further notice on the back - click here. |
Thames Water notice in bus stop on
Marston Road, November 2016, asking people to 'Be Water Smart' "Our challenge is clear. That's why we're doing everything we can to make sure there's enough for everyone. But we need your help too. Be part of the solution. Order your FREE water-saving gadgets now. thameswater.co.uk/ordergadgets" The JSLA response to Oxford City Council's 2011 consultation on its Sites and Housing Development Plan Document, Proposed Submission Document, included the comments: " Planning policies must not assume that unlimited growth is sustainable ... The document should acknowledge that since land is finite, roads are already badly congested, water supplies in the South East are becoming a problem and population growth will exert further pressures on resources, further development in Oxford will inevitably be restricted". |
Spikes on trees in Oxford to 'stop bird poo' BBC News 17 April 2019
'Netting' of trees to prevent birds nesting BBC News 23 March 2019
'Netting' of trees to prevent birds nesting BBC News 23 March 2019
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